Some Awesome People

Monday, October 15, 2012

India 'honour killing'

Five members of a family in the Indian capital, Delhi, have been
sentenced to death for the brutal murder of a young couple in
2010.

The pair were tortured and electrocuted in a so-called honour killing by
members of the girl's family who objected to the union on caste
grounds.

The girl's parents, uncle, aunt and a cousin were arrested the day after
the crime. They were convicted on Monday.

Last year the Supreme Court said honour killings should get the death
penalty.

(....) according to one recent study, hundreds of people are killed each
year for falling in love or marrying against their families'
wishes.

Most parents in India still prefer arranged marriages within their own
caste and relationships outside of caste are frowned upon.

The couple, known by the single names of Yogesh and Asha, met as
neighbours in the Gokulpuri area of north-east Delhi. They were taken by
Asha's parents to her uncle's house in the Swaroop Nagar area of the city
where the torture and killings took place.

Asha's family was opposed to the couple's plans to get married because
Yogesh belonged to a lower caste. All five accused were convicted on
Monday for "murder and voluntarily causing hurt".